Petruchio

Katherina

Petruchio

Katherina

The moon? You mean the sun. There’s no moonlight now.

Petruchio

I say it is the moon that shines so bright.

Katherina

I know it is the sun that shines so bright.

Petruchio

Now, by my mother’s son — and that’s me — it’s the moon, or a star, or whatever I say it is, if you want me to make the trip to your father’s house! [To Hortensio] Go on, send our horses home again. Always arguing, arguing, nothing but arguing.

Hortensio

[To Katherina] Agree with him, or we’ll never leave!

Katherina

Let’s keep going, I pray, since we’ve come so far. It can be the moon, or the sun, or whatever you want. If you call it a candle, from now on I’ll swear it’s a candle.

Petruchio

I say it is the moon.

Katherina

I know it is the moon.

Petruchio

Well then you’re lying. It’s the blessed sun.

I know it is the sun that shines so bright.

Petruchio

Now, by my mother's son, and that's myself,

It shall be moon, or star, or what I list,

Or e’er I journey to your father's house.

[To Hortensio] Go on, and fetch our horses back again.

Evermore crossed and crossed; nothing but crossed!

Hortensio

[To Katherina] Say as he says, or we shall never go.

Katherina

Performance

Petruchio and Katherina, Lines 12-22

Forward, I pray, since we have come so far;

And be it moon, or sun, or what you please,

And if you please to call it a rush-candle,

Henceforth I vow it shall be so for me.

Cultural Context

“rush-candle”

[Click to see note.]

Cultural Context

“rush-candle”

A rush-candle was a cheap candle made by dipping a rush, a plant reed, into animal fat.

Petruchio

I say it is the moon.

Katherina

I know it is the moon.

Petruchio

Nay, then you lie. It is the blessèd sun.

Katherina

Then, God be blessed, it is the blessèd sun;

But sun it is not, when you say it is not,

And the moon changes even as your mind.

What you will have it named, even that it is,

And so it shall be so for Katherine.

Metaphor

“And the moon changes even as your mind”

[Click to see note.]

Metaphor

“And the moon changes even as your mind”

Just as the phases of the moon are constantly changing, so Petruchio is constantly changing his mind. The moon has been associated with insanity since earliest times. Comparing Petruchio’s mind to the moon suggests that he’s a lunatic, a word derived from lūna, Latin for moon.

Hortensio

Katherina

Then bless God, it’s the blessed sun. But it’s not the sun when you say it’s not the sun. And the moon changes when your mind changes. Whatever you name it, that’s what it is; and so it is for Katherina.

Hortensio

Petruchio, let’s go — you won.

Petruchio

Well then, forward, forward! This is how the game should go, and not unfairly tilted the other way. But wait! Someone’s coming.

[Enter Vincentio]

[To Vincentio] Good morning, gentle mistress. Where have you been? Tell me, sweet Kate, and be honest: have you ever seen a lovelier gentlewoman? Such a battle between white and red in her cheeks. Are there any stars in heaven as beautiful as the two eyes in that heavenly face? Fair lovely maiden, once more good morning to you. Sweet Kate, embrace her for her beauty.

Hortensio

[Aside] It’ll make this man crazy, to treat him like a woman.

Petruchio, go thy ways; the field is won.

Metaphor

“Petruchio, go thy ways; the field is won”

[Click to see note.]

Metaphor

“Petruchio, go thy ways; the field is won”

Hortensio is comparing Petruchio to a military commander who has defeated his opponent on the field of battle. In the following line Petruchio continues the metaphor, urging his troops forward.

Petruchio

Well, forward, forward! Thus the bowl should run,

And not unluckily against the bias.

Metaphor

“Thus the bowl should run, and not unluckily against the bias.”

[Click to see note.]

Metaphor

“Thus the bowl should run, and not unluckily against the bias.”

Petruchio means that things with Katherina are turning out as he expected. The metaphor is to the game of bowls, lawn bowling. The balls are designed to curve when they roll; this is called the bias. You expect a ball will roll as designed — with the bias.

But, soft, company is coming here.

[Enter the real Vincentio, Lucentio’s father. Petruchio continues to act the lunatic by addressing him as a lady.]

Performance

Petruchio, Katherina, and Vincentio, Lines 27-57b

[To Vincentio] Good morrow, gentle mistress. Where away?

[To Kate] Tell me, sweet Kate, and tell me truly too,

Hast thou beheld a fresher gentlewoman?

Such war of white and red within her cheeks!

What stars do spangle heaven with such beauty

As those two eyes become that heavenly face?

[To Vincentio] Fair lovely maid, once more good day to thee.

[To Kate] Sweet Kate, embrace her for her beauty's sake.

Hortensio

[Aside]A' will make the man mad, to make a woman of him.

Katherina

Young budding virgin, fair and fresh and sweet,

Whither away, or where is thy abode?

Happy the parents of so fair a child,

Happier the man whom favorable stars

Allot thee for his lovely bedfellow.

Petruchio

Why, how now, Kate! I hope thou art not mad.

This is a man, old, wrinkled, faded, withered;

And not a maiden as thou say'st he is.

Katherina

Katherina

Young budding virgin, fair and fresh and sweet, where are you going, or where do you live? The parents of such a beautiful child must be happy. Even happier will be the man lucky enough to have you as his wife.

Petruchio

What is this, Kate? I hope you’re not crazy. This is a man, old, wrinkled, faded, withered. He’s not a maiden like you say he is.

Katherina

Old father, pardon my mistaken eyes. They have been so shocked from the sun that everything looks green to me. Now I see that you’re a respectable father. Pardon me, I beg you, for my mad mistake.

Petruchio

Do pardon her, good old sir. And further, tell us which way you travel. If we’re going the same way, we would enjoy your company.

[To Vincentio] Pardon, old father, my mistaking eyes

That have been so bedazzled with the sun,

That everything I look on seemeth green.

Now I perceive thou art a reverend father;

Pardon, I pray thee, for my mad mistaking.

Petruchio

Do, good old grandsire, and withal make known

Which way thou travellest. If along with us,

We shall be joyful of thy company.

Vincentio

Fair sir, and you, my merry mistress,

That with your strange encounter much amazed me,

My name is called Vincentio, my dwelling Pisa,

And bound I am to Padua, there to visit

A son of mine, which long I have not seen.

Petruchio

Vincentio

Good sir, and you my merry mistress who have so confused me with this strange encounter, my name is Vincentio, and I am from Pisa. I am going to Padua, to visit my son, whom I haven’t seen in a long time.

Petruchio

What is his name?

Vincentio

Lucentio, gentle sir.

Petruchio

Nice to meet you! And all the better for your son. Now by law, and by your honorable age, I can call you my loving father. The sister of my wife — this gentlewoman — has just married your son. Do not be amazed or upset. She has a good reputation, a wealthy dowry, and a worthy family. Besides, she would make a good wife for any gentleman. Let me embrace you, old Vincentio, and let’s go to your honest son, who will be so happy to see you.

What is his name?

Vincentio

Lucentio, gentle sir.

Petruchio

Happily we met, the happier for thy son.

And now by law, as well as reverend age,

I may entitle thee my loving father.

Cultural Context

“by law, as well as ... age, I may entitle thee ... father”

[Click to see note.]

Cultural Context

“by law, as well as ... age, I may entitle thee ... father”

They are, or should be soon, related by law, since Petruchio’s wife, Katherina, is the sister of Vincentio’s daughter-in-law Bianca. In addition, in Shakespeare’s day one might address any elderly gentleman as “father” as a sign of respect.

The sister to my wife, this gentlewoman,

Thy son by this hath married. Wonder not,

Nor be grieved. She is of good esteem,

Her dowry wealthy, and of worthy birth,

Beside so qualified as may beseem

The spouse of any noble gentleman.

Let me embrace with old Vincentio,

And wander we to see thy honest son,

Who will, of thy arrival, be full joyous.

Irony

“wander we to see thy honest son”

[Click to see note.]

Irony

“wander we to see thy honest son”

When they arrive, they’re not going to find Vincentio’s “honest son,” but rather Tranio impersonating Lucentio.

Vincentio

But is it true? Or is it else your pleasure,

Like pleasant travellers, to break a jest

Upon the company you overtake?

Hortensio

I do assure thee, father, so it is.

Discussion

“so it is”

[Click to see note.]

Discussion

“so it is”

Hortensio’s comment is ambiguous. He’s assuring Vincentio that Petruchio’s report of Lucentio and Bianca’s marriage is which — “true,” or “a jest”? The last time we saw Hortensio, he and the man he thought was Lucentio (Tranio) swore off Bianca forever because she was being fickle and flirting with her language instructor. Is Hortensio joking? What’s going on here?

Petruchio

Come, go along, and see the truth hereof,

Vincentio

But is it true? Or are you, playful travellers, playing jokes on the company you travel with?

Hortensio

I assure you, sir, it’s true.

Petruchio

Come on, let’s go, and you’ll see the truth for yourself. It seems our first joke has left you suspicious.

[Exeunt all but Hortensio]

Hortensio

Well, Petruchio, this has given me courage. I’m going to my widow. And if she’s difficult, then you’ve taught Hortensio how to be even more stubborn.